How Green was your Christmas tree?

More real Christmas trees than ever were recycled at Waverley Borough Council’s recycling sites this year.

In total, residents left 1,454 trees at the eight drop-off sites, set up by the council and its grounds maintenance contractor, Glendale, in car parks and green spaces across the borough.

This represents nearly a 40% increase on last year’s total. The trees are now being shredded to be used as mulch and compost in the borough’s parks and green spaces.

How your Christmas tree is disposed of can have a huge impact on the environment. The Carbon Trust estimates that a real tree that is recycled by burning, chipping, composting or planting can have negligible or even negative emissions. This can reduce its total carbon footprint by up to 80%.

By contrast, a 6.5ft real tree sent to landfill results in a carbon footprint equivalent to 16kg of CO2. This is due to the release of methane gas as it decomposes, which is 25 times more potent as a greenhouse gas than CO2. Landfill also creates additional costs for the council – the Local Government Association estimates it costs the taxpayer nearly £100 for every 40 Christmas trees sent to landfill.

Waverley Borough Council Portfolio Holder for Environment, Councillor Andrew Bolton said: “I’d like to acknowledge our contractor Veolia, which collects green waste to be recycled all year round, and say a huge thanks to everyone who recycled their real Christmas tree this year.

“Whether you recycled it by leaving it next to your brown bin as part of your garden waste subscription, took it to one of the recycling centres or left it at one of the drop-off sites, it’s a step towards helping to make the borough more environmentally friendly.

“So next time you visit our parks and green spaces and admire the planting, you can feel pleased that your Christmas tree will play a part in making the trees, shrubs and flowers so healthy and attractive all year round.”

If you haven’t recycled your real Christmas tree yet you can still leave it next to your brown bin if you subscribe to the garden waste collection service. Or you can take both real and synthetic trees to be recycled at a community recycling centre. To find your nearest one, visit: http://www.waverley.gov.uk/crc